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Definition of tail fin in English:

tail fin

noun

‘The tail fin of most ray-finned fish, with the exception of sturgeons and paddlefish, is homocercal, nearly symmetrical about the midline.’

‘In his effort to capture a female's attention, he puffs out his cheeks, mouth, and gill chambers by filling them with air; he also arches his back, points his tail fin, and sinuously wriggles his body.’

‘These early lobe-fins were fast-swimmers with a heterocercal tail, meaning that the tail fin was asymmetrical and larger on the dorsal side.’

‘Mechanical testing of the tadpole tail fin has revealed that the fin is viscoelastic and stiffer in small rather than large deformations.’

‘The overall appearance of the fish is similar to that of a small shark, given the shape of the body, the powerful tail fin, and the elevated anterior portion of the second dorsal fin.’

2Aeronautics A projecting vertical surface on the tail of an aircraft, providing stability and typically housing the rudder.

‘Though not yet covered, the tail fin, rudder, horizontal stabilizer and elevator are all built.’

‘The aircraft structure incorporates larger strakes below the rear section of the fuselage below the position of the tail fin.’

‘Shocked travellers described how the larger Boeing 767 shook from side to side as its wing ripped off a tail fin from the smaller aircraft.’

‘The variable sweep wing and the twin almost upright tail fins of the F - 14 Tomcat give the aircraft its distinctive appearance.’

‘The radar warning receiver is mounted in the tail fin.’

3An upswept projection on each rear corner of a car, popular in the 1950s.

‘Even if people hardly knew who Harley Earl was, they associated tail fins with General Motors.’

‘Earl went on to influence design by giving recognisable features to cars such as chrome, tail fins, curved windshields, and the infamous Motoramas.’

‘There was nothing in the marketplace of the 1950s that indicated a desire for tail fins on cars in the U.S. and Europe.’

‘The house used to be turquoise; my dad drove a turquoise Merc with tail fins.’

‘Even the Model T (form and function in perfect balance) would evolve into a gas-guzzler with tail fins.’